Mahna-mahna, 30 years later!
This was my all-time favorite Sesame Street skit when I was a kid. Little did I know back then that I would appreciate it even more as an adult. I just saw Mahna-mahna on YouTube the other day. It was the first time I’d seen that skit in 30 years, and it resonated with me on so many levels as a musician and a music educator.
It reminds me of my first attempts at improvisation: enthusiastic, unstructured, and out of time. Despite the fits and starts of the soloist puppet, the rest of the puppet band hangs in there and keeps things going. This is a great example of the importance of a solid rhythm section that keeps the groove in the pocket no matter where the soloist may stray.
And finally, the skit reminds us to keep a sense of humor and have fun making music, even when the performance is not perfect.
Mahna-mahna Bop bee bah dee dee!
